Majst



(No Mode l.)

A. R. WELLMAN.

BOOT TREE.

No. 441,117. Patented Nov. 18 1890.

UNIT D STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER R. \VELLMAN, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO OLIVER A. MILLER, OF SAME PLACE;

'BOOT-TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,117, dated November 18, 1890.

Application filed March ll, 1889- Serial No. 302,779. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatvl, ALEXANDER R. WELL- MAN, of Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot or Shoe Trees, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to providea foot-piece for a boot or shoe tree, that after it has been inserted in the boot or shoe and the boot or shoe treed the foot-piece can beeasily removed therefrom without injuring the form of the boot or shoe upper; and the invention consists of a foot-piece for a boot or shoe tree having one or more longitudinal bottom sections or side pieces arranged and adapted to move longitudinally or forward and backward on the body portion of the foot-piece, and in such movements to move laterally, so that the ball portion of the foot-piece will be contracted laterally as the side pieces move forward and restored to its full width as they move backward to their normal positions, all substantially as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying plate of drawings,-

Figure l is a side View of a foot-piece for a boot or shoe tree constructed according to this invention; Figs. 2 and 3, bottom views of the footpiece, with the sectional side pieces in their normal and forward positions, respectively; Figs. 4 and 5, a cross-section on lines 4 4t and 5 5, respectively, Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 6, a bottom View of another form; and Fig. 7, a cross-section on line 7 7, Fig. 6.

In the drawings, A represents a foot-piece for a boot or shoe tree, adapted to be secured to the back of the foot-tree by the groove 13, as usual, or in any of the usual ways.

0 and D are two longitudinal sections or side pieces of the bottom of the foot-pieceone on each side-and each adapted to move forward and backward on its respective seat E in the body portion F of the foot-piece.

In the manufacture of this foot-piece it is made of the shape and form desired in any of the usual ways, and then it is sawed through its width along the line H from its toe a toward the heel portion as far as the cross-line K, where it is sawed 0E, such line H being in a curved line corresponding substantially to the general line of the longitudinal curvature Each section or side piece fits its respective recess on its side of the central piece and has a longitudinal slot f, having a shoulderm out through it, by which it is secured in place by its screw g. g

The line M between the central piece and sectional side piece D is straight and longitudinally parallel, or substantially so,with the central longitudinal vertical plane of the footpiece, whereas the line of the piece L is cut in a curved direction from the heel to the toe, the general direction of such line making the central piece taper or diminish in width from the heel to the toe, substantially as shown.

The lines of the slots f correspond to the lines hl of their respective side pieces, and they allow such pieces to move forward and backward on such lines and substantially move along and against their respective edges L M of the central piece, and in such movements the sectional side piece D will move in a straight longitudinal line parallel to or substantially parallel to the central longitudinal line of the foot-piece, and the sectional side piece 0 will move toward the other generally, but in the direction of the line of the curve, as shown in the drawings.

In the removing of the foot-piece from the boot the body portion F slides along the sectional side pieces 0 D, which moves the one C nearer to the other one laterally, as de scribed, consequently reducing the width of the foot-piece at the ball portion and relieving from pressure or contact, more or less, with the sides of the upper at or about the ball portion. of the boot more especially, when the whole foot-piece can then be easily and readily removed from the boot. This relieves the boot of any strain on or liability to injure the form of the upper in removing the foot-piece after the boot has been treed.

The sectional pieces can be made separately from the body portion and the body portion made to receive thernin other ways than as described, the invention not being limited to any particular manner of preparing them and the body portion, but as described is practical and satisfactory. They also need not be attached to the body portion; but it is preferable to have them attached in some manner, as they are always in place and not liable to be lost.

The side piece D can be dispensed with and that side of the foot-piece be solid, only having the sectional side piece 0, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7'. But practically thisis not quite so well, although it might in some cases answer; but it is preferable, however, to have two sectional side pieces, and have at least one of them in its movement forward move toward the central longitudinal vertical plane of the foot-piece; also, if desired,both sections or side pieces can be arranged to move along on a curved line.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A foot-piece for a boot or shoe tree, havinga longitudinal side recess on its bottom whose shoulder or vertical Wall extends in a curved line longitudinally, and a bottom section or side piece correspondingly curved and adapted to fit said recess and shoulder and to be moved forward and backward therein.

2. A foot-piece for a boot 0r shoe tree, having a longitudinal side recess on each side on its bottom, one of which has a shoulder extending in a curved line longitudinally and the other has a shoulder extending in a straight line longitudinally, and bottom section or side pieces, one for each recess and each adapted to fit its respective recess and shoulder and arranged to move forward and backward therein.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER R. \VELLMAN.

\Vitnesses:

OLIVER A. MILLER, JDWIN W. BROWN. 

